


I'M FINE

by whichlights



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Lloyd Garmadon Needs a Hug, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma, u cant be traumatized if u repress all ur trauma, vent fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 12:51:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10991307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whichlights/pseuds/whichlights
Summary: He's fine, okay? Everyone just needs to stop worrying, because obviously Lloyd is fine. Why wouldn't he be? Morro just... just shook him up. But it's alright, he's fine.





	I'M FINE

The first thing Kai asked Lloyd after he saved him from the river was, "are you okay?"

Lloyd coughed out water, and said, "half drowned, but I'm fine."

"That's not what I meant."

Lloyd was confused at that point. "What?"

"You... well, you were just possessed by an evil ghost that wanted to take your destiny and destroy Ninjago."

"I'm fine," Lloyd insisted.

"You're shaking." Kai frowned.

"River is cold. Kai, I promise, I'm fine."

\---

"Lloyd, are you alright?" His mother asked, looking increasingly worried as she took in the extent of his injuries. 

Lloyd shrugged her off. "I'm fine."

"Morro threatened to  _kill_ you. He nearly succeeded." Misako pursed her lips.

Lloyd paused, then blinked. "Nothing no other villain hasn't tried."

"But Lloyd..."

"Mom, seriously. I'm fine."

\---

"Lloyd, are you okay?" His father asked softly as Lloyd smoothed out his robe and prepared to go.

"I'm a little scared, but I'm fine." Lloyd shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be fine?"

"You're tearing up."

"I'll miss you. But I promise, that's it. I'm fine."

"You said you were scared. I know what Morro planned to do. He possessed you. He hurt you."

"What? Why is everyone so concerned about how I'm dealing with that? I told you, Dad, I'm fine."

\---

Wu put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"What?"

"Are you alright?" He asked again, enunciating the words. 

Lloyd scoffed. "I'm fine."

"You had to leave your father behind in the Cursed Realm," Wu said gently.

"Are you blaming me that he's gone forever?"

"Of course not. I'm asking if you're okay with that decision."

"I don't  _like_ it. But... it had to be done." Lloyd looked out at the sea, where they were headed back to Stiix. "I'll miss him."

"But you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

\---

"Lloyd, you don't look too good. Have you been sleeping?" Jay asked one morning in a moment of silence in training.

Lloyd shrugged. "A few nightmares keep me up some, but I'm fine."

"Nightmares? What about?"

"Morro," Lloyd admitted.

Jay's eyes went wide. "Woah, crap, Lloyd, are you okay? It's been a few months, maybe-"

"Nah, I probably just ate something bad. Like Cole's chili," Lloyd joked.

"Lloyd, you know we all care about you."

"Jay. Nightmares are just nightmares. I'm fine."

\---

"And then, after locking me up, he possessed Ronin and-"

"Wait," Cole interjected into Lloyd's story. "Morro locked you up?"

"In a cage, yah." Lloyd tilted his head. "Why does it matter?"

"He put you in a cage?"

"It's far from the worst thing he's done," Lloyd muttered.

"But that doesn't make it any better! Hell, Lloyd are you okay?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm fine."

\---

The wind blew through the trees. The team paused, and Lloyd shook his head. "Creepy."

"That wind was not creepy, Lloyd," Zane said. "In fact, it is a highly common occurrence."

"I know, I meant it was more creepy how we all stopped." Lloyd waved a hand as he laughed it off.

"Lloyd, I am detecting higher levels of stress from you than before that wind came through." Zane squinted at him. "Morro's element was wind."

Lloyd made a loose fist, then released it. "So?"

"So? He's  _Morro_. And he used his wind powers while in possession of your body."

"Yah, it was trippy. No green, just wind." As if on cue, another wind blew through.

"Lloyd, you cannot argue with a nindroid. Your stress levels are spiking again."

Lloyd rolled his eyes. "Come on, we don't have all day. Zane, I swear, I'm fine."

\---

(The only person who believed Lloyd was himself.)

\---

Lloyd was standing on the deck of the Bounty, alone, in the night. The movement from the ship messed up his hair. He leaned over the railing and surveyed the lights of Ninjago City below. His fingers drummed out a beat on the railing.  _Pinky-ring-middle-index pinky-ring-middle-index pinky-ring-middle-index. Badadada badadada badadada._

There was nothing really special about that night. Lloyd just didn't really want to go to sleep just yet. He was a teenager, he deserved some rebellion.

In the stillness of the night, only marred by the slight rush of the wind in the sails, Lloyd was still too. He was silent except for the beat of his fingers against the railing.  _Badadada._

Something got into his eye. He made a noise of annoyance, and rubbed it out. It felt like a piece of sand. 

He thought back to the museum, all those months ago, to when Morro had first possessed him. He'd been in a form of sand, wearing the Allied Armor of Azure. 

_What else do you want?_

_YOU_.

Lloyd jumped. He could almost hear Morro yelling that, even though that was impossible.

Without really thinking about it, he put two fingers up against his neck to check his pulse. It was fast.

The night was still quiet, but Lloyd felt like there was something was happening. Or maybe he was remembering the somethings that had happened.

It all flooded back. The memories, what had happened and how it had hurt him. The feelings, the pain, the helplessness, the fear. The fear was constant. Lloyd realized that feeling that had never really left him even after Morro was destroyed was fear. Lloyd remembered it all, he always had, he'd just never thought about it. 

He was thinking about it now.

In the stillness of the night, Lloyd put his head in his hands. Out into the darkness, he whispered, "holy fuck. I'm not fine."

**Author's Note:**

> someone: you cant project your trauma onto a fictional character  
> me: watch me bitch
> 
> my tumblr is witchlightsands im a surprisingly upbeat person


End file.
